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Minnesota State Legislature - What"s New

The Chronicle (February 2009): An internal newsletter for the Office of the Chancellor

Friday, January 30, 2009

System testifies on budget cutsThe Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system testified in front of the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy committee yesterday on the earlier cuts in 2003, the FY2009 unallotment of $20 million and what the system is facing now, the Governor's proposed cut of $146 million. Trustee Tom Renier told committee members that the system is sobered by the size of the state budget deficit. Renier said, "Our presidents are used to making tough decisions, and for the past several months they have been engaged in planning for a variety of budget scenarios." Renier continued, "As a board, we intend to move thoughtfully and to make sure we have all the information we need to make decisions that will be in the best interest of our students and of the state of Minnesota."

Chancellor Jim McCormick testified that he understands the difficult decisions ahead for lawmakers, but he believes it is important to remember that higher education is the key to economic recovery. McCormick said, "Our colleges and universities are the place where laid-off workers will turn to learn new skills for new jobs. Our colleges and universities offer everything from short-term programs to associate, bachelor’s and graduate degree programs."Laura King, vice chancellor and CFO, laid out a variety of potential consequences to the governor’s proposed 10.7 percent funding reduction, including higher tuition rates, reduced course offerings, enrollment caps and reduced student services.

Both Presidents Richard Davenport, Minnesota State University, Mankato and Ann Wynia, North Hennepin Community College discussed the impact the cuts would have on their institutions. Davenport said his institution is already preparing for cuts by eliminating programs, leaving staff positions vacant, and even moving some classes to a local movie theater to allow for more students per class.

Access initiatives discussed in SenateAccess is a priority of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. This was the message convened to the Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Committee yesterday. In 2007, the Legislature awarded the system money to increase access for first-generation, low-income and minority students, those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. "As we enable these students, we are going to have a world-class workforce in Minnesota," said Chancellor Jim McCormick.

Linda Baer, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs discussed the system's goals for increased enrollment, retention, and graduation of underserved populations. She said the four main goals include increased access and opportunity, the promotion and measurement of high-quality learning programs and services, enhancement of the economic competitiveness of the state and its regions, and innovation for current and future educational needs.

Dr. Whitney Harris, executive director of multiculturalism said that the state should be mindful of recruiting new students, especially as the demographics change. He said that a focus group showed that students in the underrepresented categories said their parents did not know how to help them, they lacked role models within their communities and they did not know how to access financial aid. He shared the success of Super Weekend with the committee members; last week the system went to neighborhoods and "brought college information to where they (potential and current students) are," Harris said.

President Donovan Schwichtenberg of Saint Paul College shared the success of the Power of You program, which allows high school graduates of Minneapolis and St. Paul schools to attend college for free if they meet certain criteria. Schwichtenberg said that the program has nearly doubled enrollment for first generation and minority students. He also said that the program has increased enrollment, retention and graduation rates among this cohort.

Also testifying was Louis Mendoza, with the Office of Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota. Mendoza spoke about the University's efforts to recruit and integrate students from underserved populations. The different programs implemented at the University work to foster a culture of belonging said Mendoza. Students involved in the multicultural programs take classes together, are paired with mentors, and are involved in tutoring programs, he said.

Robert McMaster, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota, spoke about the Access to Success (ATS) program designed to serve students who have demonstrated strong potential to succeed, but whose high school records have not matched the typical profile of students admitted to the college. He said three colleges participate in the program, College of Education and Human Development, the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resources Sciences, and the College of Liberal Arts, with each developing its own unique program to ensure success for ATS students.

Director of Community Outreach with the Office of Higher Education, Mary Lou Dresbach, spoke about the Get Ready program, an early college awareness program targeted to lower income students and students of color, primarily funded through a federal grant. The program is currently in eleven schools throughout St. Paul and Minneapolis and begins working with students in fourth grade, as well as teachers and counselors.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Yesterday at the CapitolCollege readiness hearings continue at the CapitolBoth the House and Senate K-12 education committees have been discussing college readiness of high school students this week. The Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division met yesterday and heard from Dr. Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, Inc.. Similar to his presentation in the House, Cohen said that between 2002 and 2005 the American Diploma Project (ADP) found that 30 percent of first-year college students are required to take remedial courses because they are unequipped for postsecondary education. Cohen said faculty estimated that 42 percent of first-year students are academically unprepared. To better prepare high school students for postsecondary education and careers, ADP recommends that states align their standards with the knowledge and skills needed for success in postsecondary education and work. Cohen also said that high schools need to have a set of accountability indicators to show that students are college and work-ready.

Alice Seagren, commissioner of education, said the department, along with other consultants and legislators, has been working on the issue of assessment and post high school readiness. She said it seems to make sense to have end of course tests for geometry and algebra II in order to meet the mathematics requirements for graduation. She said another option is to lower the grade level at which students take the mathematics assessment test. Seagren said that both short and long-term solutions are needed, but that the solutions must be linked. She encouraged members make a decision regarding the status of the Graduation-Required Assessment for Diploma (GRAD) by the end of February. Sen. Charles Wiger, DFL-St. Paul, announced a working group will be meeting Friday to discuss short and long-term solutions regarding the GRAD standards.Governor's Workforce Development Council policy recommendations discussed

Members of the House Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division discussed yesterday whether high school students should be required to develop a plan for their future careers as early as the ninth grade.

The idea was part of a set of policy recommendations developed by the Governor's Workforce Development Council. Executive Director Brenda Norman presented the recommendation that every Minnesota student, from ninth grade on, should have an annually reviewed plan to guide them down an educational and occupational path of their own choosing.

Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, compared the recommendation to a European-style system in which students are forced from a very young age to pursue a predetermined career path. "I get awfully concerned when we're talking about mandating things on ninth-graders and graduates in high school," Gottwalt said. "The fact that we might require them to start building a career path too early or too arbitrarily is a bit of a concern."

Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin, a college counselor, disagreed, arguing that students need to start preparing themselves for careers as early as possible. "Ninth grade, to me, is almost too late to be thinking about where they want to be going," she said.

Today at the CapitolThe Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system will be testifying in three separate committees today. The first committee is the House K-12 Education Policy committee at 8:30 a.m. where Cyndy Crist, System Director for P-16 Collaboration and Linda Lade, System Director for College Transitions will testify on college readiness.

At 12:30 p.m., Linda Baer, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, Whitney Harris, executive director for multiculturalism and President Donovan Schwichtenberg, Saint Paul College will speak to the issue of access and opportunity in the Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division.

In the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division hearing at 1:00 p.m., Chancellor Jim McCormick, Trustee Tom Renier, Vice Chancellor and CFO, Laura King and Presidents Ann Wynia and Richard Davenport will testify on the system's fiscal profile including the 2003 budget cuts, the current $20 million unallotment and the 2010-11 budget in light of a $4.8 billion budget cut.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Governor recommends $146 million cut to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systemGov. Tim Pawlenty presented his budget yesterday with key principles in mind; balance the budget, fund priorities in order of importance, strategically position Minnesota for success in a changing world, enhance and expand pay for performance, and do not increase burdens by raising taxes.

For higher education, the total reduction is $312.7 million, a 10 percent decrease over the total higher education base budget. The Governor is recommending a reduction to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities of $146 million, a 10.7 percent reduction. The University of Minnesota was reduced $151 million. The Governor also recommends both the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the University of Minnesota institute firm caps on tuition increases to ensure the rising costs do not harm students.

Of the $4.8 billion budget deficit, the governor's budget includes $2.5 billion in cuts and savings. The governor included a $920 million placeholder in federal stimulus dollars and nearly $1 billion in tobacco appropriation bonds. Under the Governor's proposal, K-12 education would see an increase with a focus on Q-Comp and other pay-for-performance initiatives. There are accounting shifts in the aid payments to schools that will temporarily save the state nearly $1.3 billion.

In response to the Governor's budget released yesterday, DFL leaders said at a press conference that they believe it's critical to have public input on the governor's budget, which is why they are going to bring people together around the state. The consensus of DFL leaders was that more detail is needed on the overall budget, especially the $1 billion tobacco endowment. Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said they are in constant contact with the federal Minnesota delegation in Washington to learn more about what is available for Minnesota in the federal economic stimulus package. Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said the governor's budget is the blueprint document for how they're going to balance the budget, and DFL leadership will first look for areas of agreement.

K-12 committee discusses college readinessThe House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee heard from Mike Cohen yesterday, president of Achieve Inc., a national institute spearheading state's efforts to link academic standards with readiness for college and work. Cohen lauded Minnesota fourth graders’ success on the TIMMS math tests last year, and the state’s "deliberate" and "strategic" efforts to link high school academics to college and career readiness. The committee will be meeting today and tomorrow on one assessment, the Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma math test for high school juniors. Cohen warned the wide achievement gap could derail goals to educate a global-ready workforce. Cyndy Crist, System Director for P-16 Collaboration and Linda Lade, System Director for College Transitions will testify before the committee tomorrow morning.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

State leaders provide views on Minnesota Public RadioSpeaker Margaret Anderson-Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, was on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) yesterday speaking about the state's budget situation and reacting to Gov. Pawlenty's proposed corporate tax cuts. Kelliher said the state's focus should be on getting out of the budget deficit, not digging the state further into debt. Kelliher said that tax cuts will not solve the immediate problem. Speaker Kelliher also said that the state is not on the right path for economic development. She said one of the things the state needs to do is make strategic developments in higher education. Kelliher said that she would like higher ed and K-12 to tell lawmakers what their needs are and what it's going to take to meet their goals. The state may not be able to help this session, but would like to know what it will take to get there.

The Speaker also said we need to be respectful of the process between management and bargaining units when it comes to state employee salaries. In relation to a federal economic stimulus package, Kelliher said there is a team of Minnesotans in Washington D.C. analyzing the U.S. House and Senate packages.

Later in the day, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was also on MPR to discuss his budget recommendations which will be announced today at 1:00 p.m. Pawlenty did say his proposal will likely need to change because the economy has continued to deteriorate and is likely to get worse with the Feb. economic forecast. He said he is also expecting to get more federal dollars in the economic stimulus package than his budget accounts for so his budget may have to be adjusted. The governor said the state needs to tighten its belt just like everyone else and said he does not feel its a good idea to raise taxes in this type of economic environment. In regards to Pawlenty's proposal to cut corporate taxes, the governor said it's strategically important. He said Minnesota has to strategically reposition itself to be competitive in the future and attract businesses. The governor said programs, such as health care are growing so fast that they need to be slowed down in order to sustain them. He said Minnesota is a high-spending, high-tax state. He said at some point Minnesota needs to learn to live within its means.

A student from the University of Minnesota called in and asked about the governor's proposed tuition cap. Gov. Pawlenty said that he believes a tuition cap is a good idea and will force systems to manage the goal of keeping tuition increases reasonable. A tuition cap will keep budget challenges from being balanced on the backs of students. He said he left the cap open-ended, but would like it to be modest and close to the rate of inflation. Pawlenty did say he hopes higher education will implement a salary freeze and stop trying to do everything everywhere, but rather prioritize.

Markup of the U.S. Senate's Economic Recovery Supplemental TodayThe U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday released a statement of highlights from the proposed Senate Bill to stimulate the economy.

Like the House Bill, the Senate proposal appears to include $39 billionto states to enable them to sustain support for public higher and K-12education. No details on the plan for allocating these resources areprovided.

The Senate also proposes funding for repairs and renovations in highereducation, but the amount specified is $3.5 billion, rather than $6.0billion in the House bill. No information on procedures for allocatingcapital grants is provided.

Today at the CapitolPlease note the time change for Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget recommendation. The Governor will announce his 2010-2011 budget today at 1:00 p.m. at the Dept. of Revenue.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Friday, January 23, 2009

Online learning discussed in SenateThe Higher Education Budget and Policy Division addressed online learning yesterday, hearing from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Capella University, the University of Minnesota and the Office of Higher Education.

Susan Heegaard, Director of Office of Higher Education, said online learning offers increased access and opportunities for students. She said students are demanding more online course offerings. In addition, Heegaard said the governor has proposed having 25 percent of the courses at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the University of Minnesota online by 2015.

Linda Baer, Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, said credits earned through online courses have nearly tripled in the past five years and the number of students participating in online education has increased 160 percent in the past five years. In addition, Baer said other areas of web enabled delivery are growing as fast as online learning.

In the future, Baer said there will be greater integration of services for students, more program development in high demand fields, more flexible scheduling options, additional resources for faculty teaching online and increases in access and affordability. She said some of the advantages of online learning include easy access to learning, the opportunity for learning at any time, convenience and flexibility and efficiency. However, Baer also said there are some disadvantages such as the predominance of independent work over class attendance and participation, the dependence on text-based learning materials and more sporadic interaction with other students and instructors.

Professor Barbara Bridges and students Brendan Babcock and Jill Hentges, from Bemidji State University spoke about their experience with the University's K-8 elementary teacher licensure program. Bridges said the program is a combination of classes conducted in a classroom and online learning. Both Babcock and Hentges spoke about how the online program is meeting their needs while still being able to work and care for family.

Dr. Chris Cassirer, President of Capella University, outlined Capella University's focus on the ways online delivery and academic model produces competency based, assessment driven, performance measured results and Tom Sullivan, Vice President and Provost at the University of Minnesota, also spoke on the development of online learning at the University.

Higher Education presents 2009 bonding proposalsBoth the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and the University of Minnesota discussed 2008 bonding progress as well as 2009 potential capital projects yesterday with House Capital Investment committee members. Chancellor Jim McCormick and Al Johnson, Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities presented projects that can put people to work. Included in the system's proposal are the five capital projects vetoed in 2008 that total $40 million, HEAPR projects spread out around the state totaling $50 million and four capital projects partially funded in 2008 for $27 million. The total proposal in front of the committee is $117 million. Committee members expressed interest in projects that can be bid as soon as possible with fast execution.

House Higher Ed committee hears from the University of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota testified in front of the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division yesterday about the university's budget, prior cuts and the deficit the state if facing. President Bob Bruininks said, "I'm fully cognizant that we'll have to take some hits here." Although no specific dollar amounts have been announced, Bruininks said he fully expects some level of funding reductions for the 2009-2010 biennium. He pledged to try to avoid tuition increases and staff layoffs wherever possible, but warned lawmakers to give the university “flexibility” to craft its own budget solutions.

In particular, he cautioned against a proposal by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in his state-of-the-state address to cap tuition rates. "A freeze on tuition would be absolutely devastating,” he said, adding that tuition caps represented a “non-competitive” approach to a “free-market issue.”

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is scheduled to testify before the committee Thursday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m.

K-12 issues discussed in HouseHouse K-12 Finance Division committee members heard from University of Minnesota education researchers who presented overviews of research on key issues such as high-stakes testing and Q-Comp that members will likely be dealing with as they shape education reform. Jennifer McComas, associate Professor of Educational Psychology, said one five-year study indicates “relying solely on annual high stakes tests to evaluate student and teacher performance” does not work to help students make academic progress and stay in school.

Kyla Wahlstrom, director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, discussed her study of Q-Comp effectiveness and suggested renewed evaluation of the program which has expanded to 44 district schools this year.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Senate panel learns about MMB mergerThe Senate State Government Budget Division committee members heard from Commissioner Tom Hanson yesterday about the merger of the Dept. of Finance and the Dept. of Employee Relations into the new agency Minnesota Management and Budget.

Hanson said the two departments were merged on June 1, 2008 and the Management Analysis and Development Division of the Dept. of Administration joined the agency in August, 2008. He said the agency's mission is to increase state government's capacity to manage and utilize financial, human, information and analytical resources to ensure exceptional service and value for Minnesota's citizens.

Deputy Commissioner Stephanie Andrews reviewed the projects underway to better use financial information. She said the three major projects include a citizen transparency initiative, renewing the budget information system and replacing the Minnesota Accounting and Procurement System (MAPS).

Lori Mo, assistant commissioner, outlined the process for upgrading MAPS. "MAPS is the state's basic financial management system and was first implemented in 1995." She said the system is used by all branches of state government and that millions of transactions are processed through MAPS every year. However, Mo said technical obsolescence threatens the system and that it is increasingly incompatible with the state's newer information systems. Mo said the benefits of modernization of the system include a stable technical infrastructure, better information available for decision making and greater efficiency. The next steps are to obtain funding, issue a request for proposals, select a vendor and begin the two year implementation period, Mo said.

Strategies for adapting Minnesota's human resources programs for the future were outlined by Assistant Commissioner Judy Plante. Plante said workforce planning and development include redirecting staffing and compensation efforts, simplifying the job posting and application process and improvements to the employee assistance program. She said ramping up workforce planning means retraining efforts, developing connections with Minnesota educational institutions, recruiting the next generation of state workers and planning for the replacement of retiring baby boomers.

Nathan Moracco, of the department reviewed the state employee group insurance plan (SEGIP). He said the plan covers 50,000 state employees and, in many cases their families, and covers all three branches of government. He said the group includes a number of quasi state agencies, such as the Historical Society and Affinity Plus Credit Union.

The panel also heard an overview of the statewide systems billing operation, which is the basic mechanism to fund the operating costs of the statewide systems such as MAPS, payroll and benefits and related information access systems.Today at the CapitolThe Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system will be testifying at two hearings today; Senate Higher Education at 12:30 and House Capital Investment at 2:45 (see the schedules below for details). In the Senate, Senior Vice Chancellor Linda Baer will speak about online learning and in the House, Chancellor James McCormick and Al Johnson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities, will provide information on the progress of bonding projects from the 2008 bonding bill as well as present projects for 2009.

Potential capital projects for 2009 include the five projects that were approved by the Legislature in the 2008 bonding bill, but were vetoed by the Governor. Design is complete, and they are ready for bid. Also in the request is $50 million in HEAPR spread out across the system and four projects that were partially funded in the 2008 legislative session for design, anticipating construction funding in 2010. Aggressive planning work has moved design forward so these projects can be bid within three to eight months of funding. The total is $117 million.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Financial aid discussed in the HouseThe House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division learned more about how financial aid works yesterday. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education explained the different financial aid sources and how much aid was awarded for each source. In fiscal year 2007, $864 million was awarded to students attending Minnesota institutions. Of this amount, $205 million was awarded in federal need-based Pell grants and other federal grants, and $158 million was awarded in Minnesota state grants. The largest amount awarded to students, $416 million, was institution grants and scholarships.

In fiscal year 2008, 83,000 undergraduates received some type of financial aid. The Office of Higher Education said members could learn more about the Minnesota state grant program by visiting the Web site at www.ohe.state.mn.us. There are reports available that provide more information; Minnesota State Grant Review 2008, Enrollment Patterns of Low-Income Students 2008 and State Grant Year-End Statistics for FY2008.

Lending expertise to the discussion were financial aid experts from each higher education system; Peter Zetterburg with the University of Minnesota, Kathy Ruby with St. Olaf College and Mike Lopez with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Each member of the panel was asked to discuss the role and importance of the state grant program at their institution or system. All three panelists agreed that without the state grant program, students would be borrowing even more. Lopez told committee members that student debt has increased dramatically over the years.

The committee will form a smaller break-out committee to look at the issue of financial aid in more depth.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Governor Pawlenty delivers state of the state addressGov. Tim Pawlenty addressed the legislative body this week by reminding lawmakers that the challenges the state is facing are the worst we have seen in a long time. Pawlenty said, “Let’s give Minnesotans confidence” that leaders will address these challenges. After the speech, legislative leaders said they expect to work cooperatively with the governor to accomplish that goal.

Online, tuition caps, salary freezes, jobs and education reform were all focuses of the governor’s state-of-the-state address. “It’s time our colleges and universities move more aggressively to deliver more of their courses online,” Pawlenty said. He praised the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for accepting the challenge to deliver 25 percent of credits online by 2015. The governor also recommended a cap on tuition. “Otherwise, the necessary changes in higher education we will make this session will fall too heavily on students and their families.” Pawlenty did not specifically mention what the tuition cap would be. As part of the solution to the state’s budget deficit, the governor also called for a two-year wage freeze on all state workers to minimize layoffs.

Other points of the address included job growth and primary education reform. Acknowledging that the state is facing a significant number of job losses, Pawlenty proposed that Minnesota grow jobs by offering tax breaks to businesses. In K-12 education, his two focuses were increasing the Q-comp pay for high achieving teachers across the state of Minnesota and making teachers more prepared for their jobs. “We have minimum requirements for pharmacists, dentists, engineers and just about every other profession,” he said. “We should have minimum entrance standards for people who do our most important job, educating our children.”

The governor will announce his budget recommendations Jan. 27. It is likely some of the ideas presented in this speech will be represented in his budget proposal. The Legislature then will craft a House and Senate budget. The legislative session wraps up May 18, which gives lawmakers only four months to solve the budget problem.

Senate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, said: “The House and Senate will continue to focus on building our economy by helping to create and retain jobs while streamlining government. We look forward to seeing the governor's budget later this month and getting public input so we can get a more complete view of how his vision for the state will affect people.”

Senate Web site available for public to provide budget solution ideasAs reported last week, the House of Representatives has a Web site available to the public to suggest budget-solving suggestions to lawmakers here. As of last week, Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said the site had received more than 750 public comments. This week, the Senate launched a new Web site to provide state budget information and gather ideas from Minnesotans to aid legislators as they work to solve the budget deficit. The Web site can be found here.

Minnesota State Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said he believes the Web page will be a great benefit to legislators as they try to solve the state’s $4.8 billion budget deficit over the next few months. “We absolutely need guidance and ideas from the public as we try to solve this historic deficit,” Pogemiller said.

Senate Minority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, said, “This site will allow Minnesotans an excellent opportunity to examine the state budget and offer suggestions and comments on how to solve the deficit with common-sense reforms.” Senjem added that all suggestions, large or small, are welcome and that the ideas gathered will help the Senate develop a budget that reflects the values and needs of Minnesota communities.

New Minnesota Miracle

The House K-12 Finance Division held meetings around the state this past interim to obtain constituent feedback regarding the new Minnesota Miracle plan. The new Minnesota Miracle, HF2, would reform education finance and provide $600 million of property tax relief. Full implementation of the bill would cost between $2 billion and $2.5 billion, said Greiling, the author of the bill. However, she said it could begin with “just one penny” because it offers a scalable plan intended to be phased in as funding is secured. Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, the division vice chair, said constituent feedback was positive and influenced changes in the bill language.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, said the bill might be the “New Minnesota Mirage,” and characterized the all-day kindergarten portion as an entitlement program. He added that the state cannot afford the overall bill at this time of budget shortfalls. There is no Senate companion at this time.

Senate visits Normandale Community CollegeThe Senate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division visited Normandale Community College this week. During the visit, college President Joe Opatz said the demographics of the students are changing. “We are now serving nearly one-quarter minority students,” he said. The committee also toured the dental hygiene and nursing facilities. On Thursday evenings, Normandale Community College dental students and dentists serve community members in need of dental care. “People will drive hours to get treatment,” said Colleen Brickle, interim dean of health sciences. Committee members also had an opportunity to learn about the college’s science labs. The labs are different than most since they are open all day for students to drop in, and labs for different courses are located in the same room. This gives students a chance to learn about different science classes and collaborate on projects. The trip to Normandale Community College was one of the many site visits that the committee will take this session. There are plans to go to a private college, a for-profit institute and the University of Minnesota.

Recommendation from State Budget Trends Study CommissionA joint meeting of the House Taxes and Finance committees heard recommendations from the State Budget Trends Study Commission. The commission, which was established in the 2007 omnibus state government finance law, said Minnesota needs to change the way it handles its money if it wants to stop the roller coaster of deficits and surpluses.

The purpose of the 15-member commission, appointed by the governor, House and Senate, was to study the implications of state demographic trends for future state budget conditions, including expected revenue collections and spending for state government services and local services supported by state revenues. Some recommendations from the commission include having a budget reserve of at least $2.1 billion, based on the current state budget; creating a structurally balanced budget for the current and following biennium; and releasing a demographic forecast at the start of each biennium. The Senate Tax Committee will hear from the commission Wednesday of next week.

Higher education performance discussed in Senate committeeSenate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division members heard from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education this week on higher education performance. Susan Heegaard, director of the Office of Higher Education, presented an accountability report on higher education that outlined five state goals for postsecondary institutions. The goals focus on improving the success of all students, increasing student learning, increasing affordability and access, and creating a system that will produce graduates who can contribute to the development of the state's economy and compete globally.

Heegaard said Minnesota ranks quite high nationally in categories like degree attainment, retention rate and advanced placement testing. Heegaard also said that even though Minnesota has a fairly high rate of access and choice for students looking to enter into postsecondary education, the state still needs to make dramatic improvements in the area of affordability. The full report can be found here.

Tricia Grimes, policy analyst for the Office of Higher Education, presented Measuring Up, a report that is primarily used to provide policymakers with information they can use to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state.

Grimes said that Measuring Up showed that Minnesota performs very well in awarding certificates and degrees compared to other states, with 60 percent of college students completing a bachelor's degree within six years. Grimes also said that Minnesota performs fairly well in preparing its young people for college and in providing college opportunities for its residents.

Grimes concluded by saying that all states received an incomplete in learning because there is not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state comparisons. Additionally, Grimes said that, like Minnesota, all states but California were given an "F" in affordability due an increase in tuition without a comparable increase in available grants. California received a “C.”

Legislative leaders would like Minnesota to share in any potential economic stimulus packageAs legislators look at ways to solve the $4.8 billion budget deficit, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, intends to let Minnesota’s Congressional delegation know that the state would like to see some of the potential economic stimulus package coming to the state of Minnesota. “We typically end up on the short end of the stick on a lot of these things coming from the federal government,” Kelliher said this week at a press conference. Kelliher said she’s got her work cut out in trying to better understand the proposed legislation, especially the part of the package directed toward job retention. Her concern is that the Legislature has a say over any money coming into the state from the federal government. “We’re going to make sure we know what the facts are in terms of when the money comes into the state and how it can best help the recovery process for Minnesotans,” she said. DFL House leadership will head to Washington D.C. this weekend for Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States as well as to discuss a potential stimulus package with Minnesota’s federal leaders.

Stimulate the economy: $825 billion proposedHigher education may benefit from an $825 billion stimulus package proposed by the U. S. House of Representatives this week. The recommendation contains incentives for students including a $500 increase in the federal Pell Grant and more work study funding. Under the package, the Hope tax credits would increase to $2,500 per year. Students also could borrow up to $2,000 more in unsubsidized loans. If passed, the proposal also would provide $8.7 billion to update infrastructures at public colleges and universities, making them more energy efficient. Before becoming law, this legislation would have to be passed by the House and Senate and then signed by the President. A full summary of the proposal can be found here.

State-of-the-state proposes new ideas More online, jobs, education reform, and salary freezes were all focuses of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s state-of-the-state address delivered yesterday at the State Capitol. “It’s time our colleges and universities move more aggressively to deliver more of their courses online,” he said. He praised the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for accepting the challenge to deliver 25 percent of credits online by 2015. The governor also recommended a firm cap on tuition “Otherwise, the necessary changes in higher education we will make this session will fall too heavily on students and their families.”

As part of the solution to the state’s budget deficit, the governor also called for a two-year wage freeze on all state workers. He said there will likely be some lay-offs but a wage freeze will help minimize the effect.

Other points of the address included job growth and primary education reform. Realizing that the state is facing a significant number of job losses, Gov. Pawlenty proposed that Minnesota grow jobs by offering tax breaks to businesses. In K-12 education, his two focuses were increasing the Q-comp pay for high achieving teachers across the state of Minnesota and making teachers more prepared for jobs. “We have minimum requirements for pharmacists, dentists, engineers and just about every other profession. We should have minimum entrance standards for people who do our most important job: educating our children.”

This is the first step in the legislative process. The governor will announce his budget recommendations Jan. 27. It is likely some of the ideas presented in this speech will be represented in his budget proposal. The Legislature will then come out with a House and Senate budget and craft legislation to enact ideas. The legislative session wraps up May 18, and there's a lot of work to be completed before then.

Higher education performance presented to the SenateSenate Higher Education Budget and Policy Division members heard from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education yesterday on higher education performance. Susan Heegaard, director of the Office of Higher Education, presented an accountability report on higher education that outlined five state goals for postsecondary institutions. The goals focus on improving the success of all students, increasing student learning, increasing affordability and access and creating a system that will produce graduates who can contribute to the development of the state's economy and compete globally.

Heegaard said that Minnesota ranks quite high nationally in categories like degree attainment, retention rate and advanced placement testing. Heegaard also said that even though Minnesota has a fairly high rate of access and choice for students looking to enter into postsecondary education, the state still needs to make dramatic improvements in the area of affordability.

Tricia Grimes, policy analyst for the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, presented a report that is primarily used to provide policymakers with information they can use to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state.

Grimes said that the report, Measuring Up, showed that Minnesota performs very well in awarding certificates and degrees compared to other states, with 60 percent of college students completing a bachelor's degree within six years. Grimes also said that Minnesota performs fairly well in preparing its young people for college and in providing college opportunities for its residents. Even though a large portion of Minnesota residents have a bachelor's degree, there are substantial ethnicity gaps, said Grimes. The report showed that if all racial groups had the same educational attainment and earnings as caucasian students, total annual personal income in the state would be about $4 billion higher.

Grimes concluded by saying that all states received an incomplete in learning because there is not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state comparisons. Additionally, Grimes said that, like Minnesota, 49 states were also given an "F" in affordability due an increase in tuition without a comparable increase in available grants. California, which received a "C", was the only state not given a failing grade in affordability.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Senate Views Normandale Community CollegeThe Senate Higher Education Committee took a site visit to Normandale Community College yesterday. During the visit, President Joe Opatz shared that the demographics of the students are changing. "We are now serving nearly one-quarter minority students," he said. The committee also toured the dental hygiene and nursing facilities. On Thursday evenings, Normandale dental students and dentists serve community members in need of dental care. "People will drive hours to get treatment," said Colleen Brickle, Interim Dean of Health Sciences. Committee members also had an opportunity to learn about the science labs at Normandale Community College. The labs are different than most - they are open all day for students to drop in and labs of different courses are located in the same room. This gives students a chance to learn about different science classes and collaborate on projects. It may also peak students’ interest to take different science courses in the future. The trip to Normandale was one of the many site visits that the Senate Higher Education Committee will take this session; there are plans of going to a private college, a for profit institute and the University of Minnesota.

Recommendation from State Budget Trends Study CommissionA joint meeting of the House Taxes and Finance committees heard recommendations from the State Budget Trends Study Commission yesterday. The commission, which was established in the 2007 omnibus state government finance law, said Minnesota needs to change the way it handles its money if it wants to stop the roller coaster of deficits and surpluses.

The purpose of the 15-member commission, appointed by the governor, House and Senate, was to study "the implications of state demographic trends for future state budget conditions, including both expected revenue collections and spending for state government services and local services supported by state revenues.

Some recommendations include:• having a budget reserve of at least $2.1 billion, based on the current state budget;• creating a structurally balanced budget for the current and following biennium; and• releasing a demographic forecast at the start of each biennium.

House Committee Hears Grim Unemployment NewsMembers of the House Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division heard from Steve Hine, labor market information director at the Department of Employment and Economic Development, about employment predictions for the state of Minnesota. Hine said Minnesota will likely lose an additional 61,000 jobs by the end of this year, and may not see any employment gains until early 2010.

Hine said the state is likely to reach all-time highs in its total number of unemployed workers, as many as 260,000 by the end of 2009, and Minnesota's employment rate has recently been lagging behind the national average.

"There's a lot of speculation as to whether we've lost our luster here," Hine said, noting that the state's labor market, prior to 2006, has historically performed as good as or better than the United States as a whole.

Committee members also learned from Hine that the state faces a completely different set of challenges in the long-term, including much slower growth in the state's labor force, labor shortages and rapidly shifting worker demographics.

"Balancing the education budget is possible," said Nauman, "but that could mean raising property taxes to pay for the shortfall, or possibly shifting payback schedules to school districts. Neither of these options would be an ideal fix for the budget." Nauman said that a number of groups would be unhappy about a property tax increase and a possible payback shift could cause some school districts to have to borrow state money to cover their own budgets. Finally, Nauman said that if an agreement wasn't reached on a resolution to balancing the education budget, the division would have to start looking into making cuts.

Other members of the committee suggested such things as shortening the length of the academic year, shortening the school week and consolidating smaller school districts as possible ways to cut costs from the education budget. Before adjourning, Chair LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, said the division would continue their discussion of the education budget shortfall at future hearings.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

New Minnesota MiracleAt a press conference, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, and Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, House K-12 Finance Division chairwoman, said the new Minnesota Miracle would reform education finance and provide $600 million of property tax relief. Full implementation of the bill, HF2, would cost between $2 billion and $2.5 billion, said Greiling, the sponsor of the bill. However, she said it could begin with “just one penny” because it offers a scalable plan intended to be phased in as funding is secured. The bill has been referred to the House Finance Committee.

The committee took the new Minnesota Miracle plan across the state during the interim. Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, the division vice chair, said constituent feedback was positive and influenced changes in the bill language.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, said the bill might be the “New Minnesota Mirage,” and characterized the all-day kindergarten portion as an entitlement program. He added that the overall bill can't be afforded by the state at this time of budget shortfalls. There is no Senate companion at this time.

Adoption of Rules Provides for Early DivisivenessOn the House floor yesterday, members adopted temporary joint rules so the House and Senate can meet Thursday for the State of the State address, but not without divisiveness. A traditionally simple process included an amendment by House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, that would have lowered the Senate per diem from $96 to the House $77 level. The amendment was referred to the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee. Amendment supporters said it was one way to lower costs during tough financial times. House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said any discussions that reference how the Senate operates should involve members of that body.

Other amendments referred to the rules committee, include a reduction in member postage allowance, one requiring capital investment committees to travel together when doing site visits, one requiring conference committees to have at least one minority member and that bills be on members' desks in the House Chamber for at least 12 hours before a vote is taken.

Drive to Excellence Heard in SenateThe Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee, heard a presentation on the state's Drive to Excellence program yesterday. Commissioner Dana Badgerow, Dept. of Administration, said, the Drive to Excellence program goal is to enable the effective, efficient and economical delivery of state government services.

Badgerow said the program required a hard look at the nuts and bolts of state government operations in order to increase quality, increase customer service and reduce costs. She said the program looks at state government as an "enterprise" and allows the state to build and nurture a culture of continuous improvement. Badgerow said the program began in April 2005 with six projects; now there are nine active projects and five completed projects. She said more than 1,100 employees have participated so far and that the state is realizing savings from lower costs and greater efficiencies.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to present his State of the State address to a joint meeting of the House and Senate in the House Chambers at noon, Thursday, Jan. 15. The governor’s address is scheduled to be available live over the Internet here.

President George W. Bush has scheduled a news conference in the final days of his administration this morning at 8:15 central time. The White House has not disclosed what the president will address when he takes the podium in the briefing room, although he and President-elect Barack Obama have been laying the groundwork with Congress to request the second $350 billion economic stimulus package.

At the Capitol: Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Friday, January 9, 2009

2009 legislative session gets underway with budget deficit loomingThe 86th Legislative Session got underway Tuesday with mostly ceremonial floor sessions. The House convened with 23 new members, 12 new Republicans and 11 new Democrats. Democrats increased their numbers by two seats and now hold 87 seats to the 47 seats held by the Republicans. In the Senate, there are two new Senators due to retirements. The split in the Senate is 46 Democrat to 21 Republican. You may find a complete membership roster for 2009-2010 here.

In the House, Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, again was elected speaker of the House. Kelliher defeated House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, on a partisan vote of 86-42. The Senate elected Sen. James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, as president of the Senate. Senators also adopted a resolution naming Sen. Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, as Senate majority leader and Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, as Senate minority leader. Before adjourning, Pogemiller and Senjem addressed the body with words of encouragement and optimism related to the obstacles facing members this legislative session. “These are tough times,” said Senjem. “But tough times bring out the best in people.”

There was much discussion from legislative leaders this week about the 2010-2011 $4.8 billion budget deficit. Senate Majority Leader Pogemiller shared his thoughts about the budget at a press conference earlier this week, saying the key is to think about the state's future and not just address the budget deficit with quick fixes and gimmicks. Pogemiller said the Senate will be looking at reform and reorganizing priorities. Many legislative leaders have been talking about reform, and the term being thrown around the Capitol this week has been zero-based budgeting. As has been tradition in budgeting, agencies typically justify only increases over the previous year’s budget and what already has been spent is automatically sanctioned. By contrast, in zero-based budgeting, every activity is reviewed comprehensively and all expenditures must be approved, rather than only increases. This requires the budget request to be justified in complete detail. Rep. Lyndon Carlson, DFL-Crystal, said on Minnesota Public Radio this week that this process is intensive and time-consuming, and therefore, lawmakers may look at a combination of zero-based budgeting and performance based-budgeting, a method that uses missions, goals and objectives to explain expenditures.

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said that balancing the budget is “Job number one.” Kelliher said public participation will be sought from across the state to determine how "we build a more prosperous and stronger Minnesota.” She said more than 750 public comments have been received on the House of Representatives Web site where people can offer suggestions. If interested, you may provide comments here.

Another top priority is to provide economic recovery, which includes retaining jobs. Kelliher said proposed levy cuts for local government aid are contrary to what legislators promised taxpayers at the end of last session, and she said she would prefer an economic stimulus package to local aid reductions. A program at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs is scheduled Jan. 14 for legislators to learn about future economic opportunities.

Also looking at ways to develop the state’s workforce is the House Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division, which met this week and announced plans to focus on developing the state’s high-tech workforce. Chairman Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, expressed his hope that committee members could build bipartisan consensus on ways to spur job growth in the state’s bioscience industries. “With our nation struggling, we have a challenge, and an important task in front of us this year," Mahoney said, adding, "If we provide trained workers to the businesses of this state, the state will prosper.”

Legislators must complete their work this session by Monday, May 18. This gives lawmakers approximately five months to solve the budget deficit. Stay tuned.

Higher education systems discuss consequences of cuts with the Senate

The Senate Higher Education committee heard from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system this week about the consequences the 2003 budget cuts had on higher education, the fiscal year 2009 $20 million unallotment to each system and the thoughts each system has for handling any cuts in the future as a result of the state's $4.8 billion budget shortfall.

University of Minnesota Vice President Richard Pfutzenreuter told committee members that the challenge of cuts in 2003 was met by double-digit tuition increases, which accounted for 46 percent of the reduction. He said faculty and staff assumed more costs associated with health care, lower salary increases and unfilled positions.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Vice Chancellor and CFO Laura King said the reductions resulting from the 2003 legislative session included tuition increases, reductions in administration, reductions in instruction-related services and reductions in reserves. King said increased tuition was the primary tool used to address the reductions, with 14 percent increases in fiscal years 2004 and 2005.

As lawmakers look to balance the budget for the upcoming 2010-2011 biennium, King said the system will use all the options available in a budget reduction environment, but will make decisions in a way that best serves students, takes into account the system's mission to serve the economic development needs of the state and best positions the system for long-term financial viability.

Both higher education systems were asked to provide testimony addressing a potential cut of 20 percent in the upcoming biennium. To illustrate the magnitude of what that would mean to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, King described a variety of tools that could be used if the system should be required to absorb such a significant reduction. Most likely, a combination of some of the tools, such as staff and faculty reductions, tuition increases and campus closures, would be used rather than any one method alone.

King ended her testimony emphasizing the important role higher education plays in educating and retraining Minnesota’s workforce during this severe economic downturn. King said, "Our system of 32 colleges and universities is the key to economic recovery. Our institutions will be the ones that help dislocated workers get back on their feet, retrained for new jobs. Our institutions are the ones that provide short-term retraining certificate and diploma programs that can help newly unemployed residents retrain for new jobs."

Committees appointed

Both the Senate and House of Representatives have released the committee structure for the 2010-2011 biennium. You may find the Senate committee structure here and the House here.

Committee assignments for the House and Senate Higher Education committees have also been announced and are as follows:

House Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and PolicyTuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:30 p.m.Room 5 State Office Building

The Government Relations team in the Office of the Chancellor, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, is here to assist you. Please feel free to contact any of the team members with questions or concerns. You also may find information for both state and federal legislative issues at the Government Relations Web site and blog.

With the beginning of the 2009 legislative session, Capitol Security has asked all visitors to the Capitol to keep within close proximity all briefcases, satchels, backpacks or other items they bring with them. Capitol Security will be taking a more proactive approach to unattended bags around the Capitol and related buildings. Security is asking that everyone stay within sight of your bag at all times and that you do not leave your bag in a chair to hold your spot in a hearing room. Capitol Security reports that all unattended bags will be considered a security risk and taken into custody to the State Patrol Capitol Security office.

American Association of State Colleges and Universities publications

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities, or AASCU, has prepared a publication entitled “Concealed Weapons on State College Campuses: In Pursuit of Individual Liberty and Collective Security.” The document can be found here. Legislation to ease weapons restrictions on campus has been introduced in 17 states, including Minnesota. This briefing provides context to concealed weapons laws on college campuses, reviews regulatory authority regarding campus concealed weapons policy, summarizes recent legislative activity involving campus gun laws, and provides a concise synopsis of the arguments for and against allowing guns on campus.

Also prepared by AASCU is the “Top 10 State Policy Issues for Higher Education in 2009,” which can be found here. The focus is on the issue of college access. This paper has been prepared from a scan of state policy activities of the past year, an analysis of trends and consideration of events that will likely shape the policy landscape.

Yesterday at the CapitolHigher education systems discuss consequences of cuts with the Senate

The Senate Higher Education committee heard from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system yesterday about the consequences the 2003 budget cuts had on the state's higher education systems. The committee also heard about the current fiscal year 2009 $20 million unallotment to each system and the thoughts each system has for handling any cuts in the future as a result of the state's $4.8 billion budget shortfall.

University of Minnesota Vice President Richard Pfutzenreuter told committee members that the challenge of cuts in 2003 was met by double-digit tuition increases, which accounted for 46 percent of the reduction. He said faculty and staff assumed more costs associated with health care, lower salary increases and unfilled positions to account for 15 percent of the reduction.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Vice Chancellor and CFO Laura King, said the reductions resulting from the 2003 Legislative Session included tuition increases, reductions in administration, reductions in instruction related services and reductions in reserves. King said increases in tuition was the primary tool used to address the reductions with 14 percent increases in both FY 2004 and 2005.

As lawmakers look to balance the budget for the upcoming 2010-2011 biennium, King said the system will use all the options available in a budget reduction environment, but will make decisions in a way that best serves students, takes into account the system's mission to serve the economic development needs of the state and best positions the system for long-term financial viability.

King ended her testimony emphasizing the important role higher education plays in educating and retraining Minnesota’s workforce during this severe economic downturn. Kind said, "Our system of 32 colleges and universities is the key to economic recovery. Our institutions will be the ones that help dislocated workers get back on their feet, retrained for new jobs. Our institutions are the ones that provide short-term retraining certificate and diploma programs that can help newly unemployed residents retrain for new jobs."

President Ann Wynia, North Hennepin Community College, provided testimony with Laura King on what campuses did in 2003 to handle budget cuts and what they're currently doing in light of the recent unallotment. President Wynia spoke of a 28 percent tuition increase at her campus over the 2004-2005 biennium, along with layoffs, leaving positions open, reclassifying positions and reducing spending on technology.

Also testifying yesterday was Jennifer Weil, Vice Chair of MSUSA. Jennifer spoke of the large tuition increases in prior years due to the magnitude of cuts in 2003 which resulted in large student debt loads. Weil also pointed out the importance of higher education in times of economic hardship, and said that higher education should be an investment.

The committee also heard from State Demographer Tom Gillaspy who said economic growth depends on the product of higher education and that shortages in critical occupations can only be relieved by training and educating Minnesotans or importing workers from other areas.

K-12 committee members discuss policy issues facing Minnesota schools

Members of the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight committee shared their views yesterday on the most important policy issues facing Minnesota schools. Priorities include closing the achievement gap, eliminating ineffective mandates and standards that cost districts a lot to implement, promoting academic rigor and teacher professionalism.

They also raised concerns about school tax levies. Rep. John Benson, DFL-Minnetonka, said he would like to "see an end to school districts having to run operating levies." Rep Connie Doepke, R-Orono, would like to lift levy caps.

Committee Chair Rep. Carlos Mariani, DFL-St. Paul, said upcoming hearings will focus on key policy issues, such as the Department of Education’s new evaluation model of assessing student achievement year-to-year, problems with graduation standards testing, and the achievement gap and outcome issues.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

MSUSA testifies on the 2008 electionYesterday afternoon, the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Operations and Oversight heard testimony by a number of election officials relating to the successes and disappointments of the 2008 election. Holly Davis, director of Research and Policy at the Minnesota State University Student Association, spoke on student voter registration. "Voter registration was a big thing on our campus last fall," said Davis. "I was excited to see so many young people interested in the election this year, she said." Before adjourning, Chair Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, announced that the committee would meet again to discuss absentee balloting and how to move forward in the future to ensure ongoing election success in Minnesota.

Bioscience and Workforce Committee will focus on job growthMembers of the House Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division announced plans yesterday to focus on developing the state’s high-tech workforce during the 2009 legislative session. Chairman Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, expressed his hope that division members could build bipartisan consensus on ways to spur job growth in the state’s bioscience industries. "With our nation struggling, we have a challenge, and an important task in front of us this year," Mahoney said, adding, "If we provide trained workers to the businesses of this state, the state will prosper."

Committee StructureIf interested, the Senate and House committee structure has been released.Senate

Today at the Capitol**Please note the Senate Higher Education committee meets today at 12:30 in Room 123 of the Capitol to listen to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and the University of Minnesota about consequences from the 2003 funding reductions in the 04-05 budget, the reaction to the current unallotment of $20 million to each system, and responses to possible reductions in the upcoming biennium. Vice Chancellor and CFO, Laura King, along with President Ann Wynia, co-chair of the Finance and Administration Leadership Council Committee will testify.

At the Capitol:Legislative schedules are available for the House and Senate.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The 86th Legislative Session got underway yesterday. In the House, Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, was again elected Speaker of the House. She defeated House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, on a partisan vote of 86-42. The House did pass its temporary rules. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the rules which would have reduced the per diem and housing allowances for members to 2005-2006 levels. House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisolm, assured lawmakers that the topic would be discussed in committee. Sertich said, "Don’t shrink the opportunity for people to participate."

After ceremonial and roll call duties, the Senate got down to business electing Sen. James Metzen, DFL- South St. Paul, as President of the Senate. Senators also adopted a resolution naming Sen. Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, as Senate Majority Leader and Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, as Senate Minority Leader. Before adjourning, Pogemiller and Senjem addressed the body with words of encouragement and optimism related to the obstacles facing members this legislative session. "These are tough times," said Senjem. "But tough times bring out the best in people."

Both the House and Senate agreed to a joint meeting Thursday, Jan. 15 for the governor’s State of the State address which will begin at 12:00 p.m. in the House Chambers.

The House is scheduled to reconvene Monday, Jan. 12 at 1:00 p.m. The Senate is scheduled to meet Thursday, Jan. 8 at 11:00 a.m.

Senate Leaders Discuss Upcoming SessionAt a press conference yesterday morning, Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis and Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, provided their thoughts for the upcoming session. Pogemiller said that the key is to think about the state's future and not just fix the budget deficit with quick fixes and gimicks. He said the Senate would like to focus on building off of the federal economic stimulus package with infrastructure and jobs in mind. Both Pogemiller and Clark said they will be looking at reform and reorganizing priorities. Pogemiller reiterated that he doesn't believe there is a partisan solution to this problem, and that everyone is going to have to work together to balance the budget.

Committee AssignmentsSpeaker Anderson Kelliher announced committee assignments, which can currently be found in the House Journal from yesterday. They should be posted online soon. I will include more detail in Friday's weekly update, but below is the committee make-up for the Higher Education Committee. The Higher Ed committee will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Welcome to the 2009 legislative session. Both the House and Senate will convene at 12:00 p.m. today with brief floor sessions. When the House convenes they will have 23 new members, 12 new Republicans and 11 new Democrats. Democrats increased their numbers by two seats and now hold 87 seats to the 47 seats held by the Republicans. In the Senate, there are two new Senators due to retirements. The split in the Senate is 46 DFL, 21 Republican.

Legislators must complete their work this session by Monday, May 18, 2009. This gives lawmakers approximately five months to solve the $4.8 billion state budget deficit. With tough decisions to be made, I don't think anyone would be surprised to see a special session this year.As a reminder, here is the link to the Government Relations Web site. Weekly updates, state and federal information, committee information, etc. will be provided on a regular basis at this site.